Branding one ofgaming’s superstars

Sony PlayStation

At its launch, LittleBigPlanet was the first game to realise the potential of Sony’s PlayStation 3. The title also sparked the (now ubiquitous) idea of ‘creative gaming’. We created the brand identity and media kit, then returned to make some brand art when Sackboy launched on PS Vita.

Gaming on many levelsOn one level LittleBigPlanet is a platform game that allows you to create and guide your Sackboy through various levels and adventures – which you can also create, customise and share online.

Uniquely, the game exists in a real physical environment, meaning the character can lift, push, roll, throw or climb on anything he finds. If he can’t manage it on his own, he can come back with friends you’ve found online and get them to help.

We used these themes of collaboration and creation as our starting points for the core branding.

A unique identityTo capture the spirit of the game, we imagined the core identity in a flat form and as a 3D in-game construction. This became the starting point for countless variations – the idea being that each iteration of the game can be customised to suit its territory, theme or context.

The logo takes many forms and can be created in a variety of materials, in both 2D and 3D.

Spreading the wordWe devised and produced an innovative media guide to introduce LittleBigPlanet to the world. The collectable outer zip-up sack could be reused as a laptop case and was a big hit amongst hardcore fans, with versions seen on eBay post-launch.

Developing the brand artWhen LittleBigPlanet launched on the PS Vita, Sony asked us to revisit Sackboy and make some key brand art. This modular image shows a journey through the cosmos, from the real world below to the LittleBigPlanet world above. The thoughts, dreams and creations of the population on the ground flow upwards, fuelling the world of play above.

An epic mosaicThis portrait poster is made up of 1719 Sackboy costumes, all of which have been available over the iterations of the game. It was included in a press kit to publicise the releases of LittleBigPlanet PS Vita, LittleBigPlanet Karting and LittleBigPlanet 2: Cross Controller.

Ian Wright vs LittleBigPlanetAs part of ‘The Studio’, a virtual gallery we curated for PlayStation, we invited renowned illustrator Ian Wright to remix Sackboy in his signature style. The inspiration came from his continuing fascination with Hama Beads, which he often uses to sketch and work through ideas. Ian realised he could use them in a very basic way – to suggest the hand-made design qualities of the characters in the game.